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Mogadishu, Somalia (CNN) -- French forces swooped into Somalia for a rescue mission under the cover of darkness, leading to a fierce gunbattle with militants who killed the hostage, the French defense ministry said Saturday.

The raid Friday night also left a French soldier and 17 Islamist fighters dead, according to the French ministry. Another soldier went missing.

Hostage Denis Allex died at the hands of his captors, France said.

But the al-Shabaab militia, which is affiliated with al Qaeda, claimed that the hostage is unharmed and being held at a new location.

Profile: Who are Al-Shabaab?

The militants said in a statement on their Twitter account that they will decide the hostage's fate in the next two days.

The chopping sound of helicopter blades and volleys of gunfire startled Bulo Marer town residents out of their sleep Friday night, when French paratroopers descended on the camp.

Three helicopters initiated a heated gunbattle with captors under the cover of darkness in the town about 75 miles northwest of the capital Mogadishu, eyewitnesses said.

French soldiers leaped from the aircraft to engage the Islamists on the ground.

Al-Shabaab 'recruiting U.S. citizens'

"From the outset the French commandos faced strong resistance," the defense ministry said in a statement. "In the course of the assault, fierce fighting took place."

Al-Shabaab claimed the French soldiers left behind combat gear and a wounded comrade before disengaging.

"The injured French soldier is now in the custody of the Mujahideen," al-Shabaab said.

Allex was abducted on July 14, 2009, the French defense ministry said.

France said it decided to undertake the rescue attempt after the terror group failed to negotiate for the hostage's release for three and a half years while holding him in inhumane conditions.

Omar Nor reported from Mogadishu, and Ben Brumfield wrote in Atlanta. CNN's Joseph Netto and Laura Smith-Spark contributed to this report.